The Distance Between Two Points
by Fucking Tomatoes
Summary: A falling star fell from your arms and landed in my arms... Every night Antonio would walk outside to look at the stars hoping for the excitement he's always wished for in his life. When a star comes crashing down on him and gives him just that, Antonio has to deal with the fiery spark of Lovino! Human AU
1. Chapter 1

Hello lovely readers! New face in the writing scene how cool is that? Spamano has been a passion of mine for a while and I finally managed to come up with a plot finally to celebrate my love of this pairing. So I say: Why the fuck not?

I'll be fixing lagging errors like comma placement later, I just wanted to get this up! (I'm excited okay?) Alright lets get right to it! And thank you for reading dears~

DISCLAIMER: Oh shit look at this, like you've never seen this before! Well if you haven't then this is just to let you know that I don't own shit other than my feelings and storyline~ Hima-papa owns the characters and names because he's lovely.

RATING: M For smut that will come up in later chapters, language, and I don't know I guess situations.

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"A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes…" –Florence + the Machine:_ Cosmic Love_

**The Distance Between Two Points**

1. Descent

Every night he'd walk outside to look at the stars.

He would gaze up to the heavens, feeling so small underneath the span of scattered lights, and stand there to forget the world. It would be silent in the meadow, where friendly shadows for once, did not appear frightening, and came out to accompany him on beautiful nights like this. The young man's breath came out in puffs of thin clouds, weak and disappearing into the night air. His jaded eyes that warmed anyone's heart searched within the stars distance, for memories he could recall as his most precious. It was during this time every night that Antonio left the world behind him, left his outgoing, facetious self until morning. Now was the time to be calm, to have a moment where he could be serious, and reflect on his feelings and thoughts. Only would he let the stars see him this way.

Antonio sighed contently, enjoying the break of rain and muggy weather to see the night sky. His fingers laced through the earth's green mane as he began to hum to himself, his thumb and index finger twirling random strands. On his lap laid a dried carnation, it's once crimson shade darkened with age. Glancing down to the frail flower Antonio smiled to it. It had felt like centuries since the last time he'd seen the petals bright red blush and the boy who had plucked it.

Fingers unraveling from the grass, he carefully pinched the stem, joylessly observing two petals crack and crumble onto his lap. The young Italian boy who loved tomatoes as much as he did, whose eyes were a spectacular shade of green and honey, was someone he could not let go from his mind.

Another petal cracked.

"I should really let this go" Antonio ran a calloused hand through his curly strands, exhaling loudly, "Maybe I should take Francis's advice and go out more. Maybe do something to take my mind off of him instead of sitting here like an old man. "

His eyes trailed to the sky as if the stars above were listening and chuckled. "Not that I don't like thinking about you but I should start living my life a little bit more."

A low vibration set off in his pants pocket, pulling him away from the skies attention. Balancing the flower on a knee Antonio took out the trembling phone and pressed a button. The screen flashed alive and blue eyes and a dashing smile invited him to answer the call. _Speak __of __the __devil__._

Antonio grinned as he pressed the receiver to his ear, "Hola Francis!"

"Et bonjour à toi, mon ami! I've called to ask if you wanted to go out for drinks tomorrow night. I'm in the neighborhood and thought I'd spend some time with you before I leave to France. "

Antonio blinked, "You're in Spain?"

The Frenchman sighed on the other end, "I had to come by to pick up a hot mess. It seems that Gilbert had quite the vacation in your lovely hometown and angered some people in the market place."

"Gil is with you?"

Someone yelled in the background and a lot of crackling interfered with the conversation. Francis cursed before the familiar shrill of Gilbert's voice screeched into the phone, "Don't listen to this guy he's just being overly dramatic, but hey Toni, sorry if you couldn't get your water this week, I didn't know that people placed them by the beer!"

Antonio's eye twitched._Ah__, __so __that __was __why __there __were __broken __water __bottles __in __the __street __today_. "You were the one who tipped the cases over?"

"Who the fuck said it was me? All I said was _sorry __that __you __couldn'__t __get __any __water_. It hurts the awesome me that you would think I would do such a thing!" He proceeded to poorly sound like he was crying. Antonio rolled his eyes and laid back into the plush grass. "But why the hell are we talking about this? You gonna join baguettes and me for some drinks?" A loud smack followed by a yelp slipped from the speaker.

Antonio bit his lips, searching through the cracks of his mind. "I think I can hang out with you guys tomorrow. As long as I check up on my garden and finish some chores first."

Francis had reclaimed the phone, "Of course! We will be over around evening."

"Alright! I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Good night mon cher."

"See you tomorrow Toni!"

Click.

Pulling his phone away from his ear Antonio beamed brightly. It was really great to meet up with his best friends again! It had been a rather long time since they hung out together, and this would definitely take his mind off of things! They could catch on what was going on in their lives and laugh at some of Gilbert's great jokes. Antonio grinned,_It__'__ll __be __fun__!_

Stuffing his phone back into his pockets he once again picked up the gloomy flower. Despite hanging out, he really wished something more exciting would happen. Don't get him wrong, he loves living in Spain and all the wonderful qualities and people that came with living in it, but sometimes he thrived for excitement. Every day was checking on the garden, doing chores, going to the market, saying hello to people on the street...couldn't he just change up his routine a little?

Antonio sighed and hugged his knees. _I __should __just __go __out __more__, __simple __as __that__._ His emerald eyes fixated on the mosaic lights twinkling back at him. Maybe his life just needed a little more spark?

An azure star flared suddenly in the sky, the bright light catching Antonio's eyes. The small dot glowed, its diamond edges stretching farther outwards in the winter sky. Focus glued to the shimmering star expanding, Antonio's breath hitched with excitement as it suddenly sparked, radiantly blazing with light. Awed by the ecstatic dance, the star fluttered luminously and burst, then began to fall.

His eyes followed the star's descent, wavering yellows, blues, and white twirling and swaying through the black sky. Antonio admired the beautiful display above him and waited for the trail to quickly fade to black. Another burst of light exploded in the night and the trail was now split into two.

Antonio furrowed his eyebrows, "What the…"

Just as the trail had separated with one going to the right and the other staying in the same spot, Antonio took note on how the light seemed to be getting brighter. Actually it looked like the star was getting closer. With eyes widening in sudden realization he jumped to his feet as the descending light tore through the atmosphere. Panic streamed through his blood as his eyes darted between the closing object and the empty pasture he stood in. A silver glow illuminated the space and before he could take another glance at the falling star, a thundering explosion ensued before his very eyes. Grass and chunks of ground sailed through the air, dirt and grime scrapping Antonio's skin as he shielded himself. Sounds of crumbling ground and tattering gravel quickly formed to silence and Antonio slowly lifted his arms to witness the scene.

Dust and smoke slithered through the grass and up into the Spaniard's face, the aroma of earth and fire intertwining into a musty scent that was both pleasant and odd. Squinting through the cloudy mass, Antonio cautiously walked where he assumed the star had fallen. If it even were a star. The broken earth crunched underneath his boots and his eyes scanned through the dissipating smoke. His heart fell as he came face to face with the crater that the star had inflicted on his pasture, and ran a hand through his chocolate locks.

This was going to take forever to recover! His grass, his flowers, his land! Antonio sulked at the foot of the crater and kicked an innocent pebble. Now how was he going to explain to the neighbors as they passed by? _Oh __you __noticed __this __hole__? __Well __you __see __I __plan __on __building __a __pond __to __complement __my __garden__! _He paused for a moment. _Actually __that __was __a __pretty __good __explanation__! _Before a smile could surface on his face he shook his head.

"What am I thinking? There's a hole in my yard! I don't want a hole in my yard! I just want my nice grass and—"Something shifted inside the crater.

Antonio perched over the hole with curiosity, the loose ground crumbling under his weight. Squinting his eyes and wishing he had better light, his eyes wandered for any sign of a big rock or glint of a dish that might have fell from the sky. Seeing that looking wasn't enough, Antonio carefully lifted his leg and brought it upon soft soil. He silently grimaced to the feeling under his feet, wishing that he stepped on grass other then damaged soil. Pushing his ruined land aside, Antonio slowly took a few steps forwards to what he hoped would be the reason for this explosion. His eyes glanced up to the canopy of stars. _That was so odd! I've never seen a shooting star split into two! That's just unheard of. _In the midst of walking and thinking, the toe of his shoe collided with something soft. His green eyes wandered down in curiosity and his discovery led him into panic.

Expecting to see a small meteor in the middle of the giant hole he found himself gaping down at a man. Curled up and lathered in dust and grime, the man shifted again, strands of chestnut fanning over furrowed eyebrows. Antonio blinked.

He blinked again.

And then the gears started to move within that mind.

Antonio cautiously dropped to his knees and began to shake the man's warm shoulder. Nothing came from the boy as his head moved, causing a rather odd curl to sway in the cool air. It looked as if he was fighting something that was hurting him from the inside.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Antonio whispered to himself. Staring at the still unconscious face the only reasonable answer startled him. Slowly his eyes connected with the sea of stars looking down on him. "Impossible..." It was impossible. A man couldn't fall from they sky!

_Could they?_

A cough snapped Antonio out of his inner daze and he was right there again trying to wake the stranger again. His hand moved to his shoulder to fan over the man's forehead. He frowned. It seemed the boy was running on a fever. Right there and then Antonio understood the situation and reached out for the man, lifting him up, and quickly headed back to the yellow glow of his home.

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First chapters are always short so never fear my lovely readers you ask and you shall receive~

Leave a review if you can, I'd appreciate the feedback!

Translation: Et bonjour à toi, mon ami! - Along the lines of: And hello to you my friend!

~love Maya


	2. Chapter 2

First thing I have to say is that you guys are kick ass! Thank you so much for the reviews! It gave me so much inspiration to write and it made me feel all warm inside! I'm so happy that you all are enjoying the story so far!

And here we are! Here is the second chapter for you guys! And special thanks goes out to my editor Alexis, I love you so much for helping me out and correcting me stupid errors! *hugs*

Disclaimer: _I don't own shit._

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"Sometimes I wish for falling  
Wish for the release  
Wish for falling through the air  
To give me some relief  
Because falling's not the problem  
When I'm falling I'm in peace  
It's only when I hit the ground  
It causes all the grief"

-Florence + the Machine:_ Falling_

**The Distance Between Two Points**

2. Impact

It was cold and the world was spinning. It seemed everything in his life was always spinning. Out of control and out of reach. The air whistled in his ears as the wind wrapped around him, its feathery touch grazing his fingertips and ruffling his hair.

All Lovino did was watch over his brother; with hidden love, protectiveness and admiration. He'd guide him through the things that were okay and not okay, taught him that Italian cooking was the best in the world, and scolded him about the dangers of going down to earth. His brother always kept his warnings dearly to his heart, but his curiosity had always sent him going against them.

Freezing air filled up his lungs, constricting his throat with a dry embrace. His eyes watered under the whipping wind.

He could never hate his brother, but somehow he could always find a way to become pissed off at him. It wasn't his fault really; his brother was just the polar opposite of himself. He was loud, full of energy and wonderment. Not that opposites attract, but for Lovino that always seemed to be the case.

Lovino was staring back at a sea of stars, drowning in them as the moon watched. He carried a heavy heart and a mind that spun, his thoughts hazed like the morning fog.

Feliciano was the reason he was here right now-falling. Thanks to his damn curiosity, it seemed his brother had fallen in love with a man in Germany. He wanted to become human again and live with his "love" on Earth.

You can bet Lovino chewed his ass for even bringing up the topic of leaving, and he even threatened to tell someone about his plans. It was too bad Feliciano knew he wouldn't do it and fucking left anyways. Desperate to save his brother's ass from getting into something he'd regret, Lovino followed after him.

And now he was falling. He was plunging to his end, and worse-without his brother in his hands.

_That fucking idiot._

And swiftly came the end.

oOo

A face stared back with worried eyes, the image copying Antonio as he turned off the faucet, and dumped a rag into the water. The sound eased his mind, melting his thoughts into a pool like the water in his hands. He needed to relax. So what if a man fell from the sky and crashed into his yard? Ruining his land and somehow surviving the fall; it happens…right?

He bit his lip as he wrung out the cloth. He was lying to himself, but what could he do? Men didn't just fall from the sky! He unplugged the sink with a sigh. Well, it didn't matter where the guy came from or how the hell he ended up here, Antonio was more concerned if he was okay. He did just plunge down to Earth in a ball of fire, after all. For now, the only thing severe seemed to be a fever, but it didn't hurt to check.

Carrying the wet cloth and exiting his master bathroom, Antonio's eyes latched onto the man sprawled out on his bed. As he quietly approached him, he noticed him mumbling in his sleep, eyebrows furrowed and pink lips twitching as words seeped out. He watched him under the soft glow of the lit lamp by his bed. He was engrossed with the man's odd expressions and found it…kind of cute. _Like a kitten!_ Leaning over to place the damp rag on his forehead, his fingers pushed aside auburn strands and brushed against soft skin. On contact, the man's brows quirked and then smoothed out, his entire body growing relaxed.

Antonio sighed and let his hand fall to his lap. "I hope you can explain this to me when you wake up, because this is all really confusing." Without expecting an answer Antonio hung his head back and crossed his legs, smiling up to his cream ceiling. "You gave me quite the scare you know? At first I was like, how cool, my first shooting star! And then all of a sudden a ball of fire nearly kills me! And then I find out you're not a broken satellite dish or a rock, but a man! You made my evening really scary and exciting!"

A buzz set off in his pocket causing him to jump and shake the bed. Thankful for not waking up the man, he rose and pulled out his phone. Walking towards the bedroom door, he opened it and leaned against it in the hallway.

He pressed the phone up to his ear. "¿Buenos?"

"Toni, it's Gilbert! How awesome, we're talking twice in a row!"

"Oh hi Gil, what's up?" Antonio propped a foot up to the door.

"Something came up with our flight and I don't have the money to stay another night at a hotel, so..." There was a shifting of clothing.

"Do you think I can crash at your house after drinks?"

Normally Antonio wouldn't hesitate to say okay, but presently with a strange man in his house? Now he wasn't so sure. There was enough room for them to stay, but his main concern was how his guest would react to his friends; actually he had no idea how he acted at all.

"…You there?"

"Sorry," Antonio shook his head, "what happened to your flight?"

"I wanted to head back to my brother's tomorrow night, but then he called me all fucking panicky and shit and asked me if I could stay back another day, probably wants to make sure the house is spotless before I come home. I really don't get that kid."

He laughed. "Well you're always making a mess, and the two of you were seriously heading out after drinks? You'd be thrown out of the airport before you'd even reach the plane!"

"Francis was going to limit my drinking_ because_ of that, but now that I have another day we can get wasted! I mean, how shitty would that be? You can't rip a beer out of a German's hand! Although I do consider myself Prussian…"

"It's only for one night?"

"Yeah! We'll try not to make a huge mess."

Antonio inhaled tensely. "Francis is staying too, huh?"

Gilbert sighed irritably on the other line. "Listen, if you don't want us to stay..."

"No I'm not saying that!" Antonio interrupted, waving a hand. He clenched it into a fist in midair. He wished he'd taken that back.

"So we can crash at your place after all?"

"I-I don't know, I guess-"

A loud bang interrupted him from behind the door.

"What was that?"

Shit. Antonio flipped around as he ripped open the door, sputtering a quick "I'll call you back" into the phone before stuffing it back into his pocket.

When he entered back into the room where his guest was, a harsh rasping sound came from below the bed.

There Antonio saw a wide eyed man arched beneath the carpet floor.

His fingers curled and his mouth gaped with shock. The towel that was on his forehead hung on his shoulder and the man blinked bewildered up to the ceiling.

Antonio ran to him in worry. "Are you okay? Did you fall off the bed?"

Sharp honey eyes jabbed into his with extreme intensity, stopping Antonio in his tracks. Jolting up and pressing his back into the frame of the mattress, the young man whispered in a daze, "_Dove sono_?"

"…I'm sorry?" Antonio swallowed and tried to take another step."Are you oka-"

"Where the fuck am I?!" the man snapped, his wild eyes darting around the room.

Antonio flinched. _Quite a harsh tongue..._he forced a smile and dropped to the man's eye level. "Ah…well you see, you fell from the sky-" he used a finger to point up and then motion it down," -and crashed into my yard! Sounds funny, huh?" Those honey eyes landed on him again, seeming to slowly recall said events. "Do you mind telling me where you came from?"

He ignored him. "Feliciano…" his lips brushed the words softly, then curtly spat them out again. "_Feliciano! That fucking idiot Feliciano!"_ He gritted his teeth and brought a hand to cover his eyes, "God dammit!"

Antonio scrunched his brows."What's wrong...?"

"My brother!" His head thumped back into the bed frame.

"Your…brother?" Antonio shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I really don't know what's going on. I don't even know your name. All I know is that you fell from the sky!"

"It's Lovino." Said man wasn't paying much attention to him, only allowing the part where he wanted to know his name.

So they really did fall…this meant he was somewhere on Earth. Lovino suddenly felt small, uncomfortable being on human soil. Sure he's stepped foot on here a few times, but that was when he was younger and a complete idiot like his brother, which is why it didn't surprise him that his fratello would do the same thing. But instead, his brother idiotically wanted to stay and be human. How the fuck do you become human in the first place?

Lovino eyebrows furrowed. "Please tell me my brother crashed here."

"So your name is Lovino?" Antonio didn't hear his last sentence and beamed. "What a nice name!" _Has a really nice flow to it!_

"What the-?" Lovino growled and leaned forward to shout in his face. "Listen to me, fucker! Where the hell is my brother? I demand you to tell me!"

"Whoa, calm down calm down!" Antonio sheepishly raised a hand to place some distance between them. "I'm sorry, but your brother isn't here as far as I'm concerned."

Lovino's heart sank. He wasn't here…those words echoed in his head and weighed him down. Lovino bowed his head, knuckles growing white as he clutched the carpet. Tears threatened to duct his eyes and he bit hard on his bottom lip. The more he became upset, the more he felt like crying, with hurt beginning to wheedle its way through him. But like hell he'd do something like _that_ in front of _this_ guy!

Antonio frowned. "Hey..." When he tried to reach a hand out to him in comfort, it was slapped away.

"Don't touch me, asshole."

"Look I'm only trying to be nice." Emerald eyes flickered down and sighed. "You seem like you're going through something rough and I want to help."

Lovino scoffed, "I don't need your help."

"Well, don't you?"

Lovino glared.

Antonio continued."I assume you don't have a place to stay tonight, and your brother is gone missing. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"You're not," Lovino spat.

A smile surfaced as he stood up. "Well then, you can stay here until you find him! I'm not the kind of person who kicks people out onto the streets, you know…" he scratched his cheek, "I can even help you look for him if you'd like."

Lovino blinked. What the hell was up with this guy, just opening his arms out to him like that? He was a complete stranger, some guy that fell from the stars. Antonio gestured a hand to help him up, but Lovino ignored it and used the bed to guide him up instead. Snatching the moist towel from his shoulder, he threw it carelessly on the bed.

"And why would you help someone like me?"

Antonio shrugged. "It seems like the right thing to do."

"Fucker..." Lovino hissed and crossed his arms. Well, what could he say? He needed a place to stay, and the man was giving him a bed for free, not to mention help to find his fratello, too. Lovino clenched his jaw. "Whatever."

"You're staying?"

"Shut up!" Lovino snapped, but to show that he was, he climbed back onto the bed and crawled underneath the covers. "Only until I find a place to stay, I don't want to stay in this..."Lovino looked around and suddenly felt alarmed."Holy shit, where am I?"

"What do you mean? This is my humble home!" Antonio proudly stated as he took the wet cloth off the bed and sat beside Lovino. "But if you're referring to where in the world, then you are in España, the country where the sun never sets!"

"May I remind you that it's night? The sun _has_ set."

"It's just a saying. I can explain it to you later."

Lovino only responded with an exhausted sigh. "Well fuck, this only makes things harder." Antonio made a face, showing that he clearly didn't understand what he was getting at. Lovino threw himself back into the pillows. "My brother is in Germany. How the hell am I going to find him when I'm in Spain?"

"What, really?" Antonio piped up, clenching the towel in his hands. "How in world did that happe-?"

"Long story."

"Well..." he tossed the towel onto the nightstand, quite happy that it stayed, "do you mind telling me the story of how you got here? Are you an alien or something?"

"An alien- what the hell is that?"

"Ah, so you're not an alien."

"No, are you an A-Aliieo…? How the hell do you even say that!?"

Antonio chuckled and said, "Just forget it. So will you tell me? It's the least you can do."

Lovino turned to face the window beside the bed and closed his eyes. "You'd only get more confused if I tell you."

"Can you still tell me? Or are you sleepy? Oh, in case you are…just to let you know, this is my bed. I have a bed across the hallway you can sleep in."

"Will you shut up!?" Lovino growled and nuzzled his face into the sheets. _It smells good_. "Yes I'm fucking sleepy, I know this is your shitty bed, and I'm not moving."

Antonio scowled. "Well, where am I going to sleep?"

"How about that room across the hallway like you mentioned?" Lovino couldn't help but grin.

"…But this is my room, this is my bed."

"Well, I'm sore and I don't want to drag my ass all the way out in the cold." He knew he was being kind of asshole, but Lovino just _really_ didn't want to get up. _Damn that guy and his nice ass bed._ Lovino cast him a hesitant look before stuffing his nose into the pillow again. "..ks."

"What was that?"

"I said thanks, you ass." Fuck, is he deaf? Silence loomed over them again until Lovino couldn't take the tension and kicked him in the knee."Stop staring at me you-you...what's your name?"

"Oh! That's right, I haven't introduced myself!" Antonio laughed and out of habit scratched the back of his head. "I was so busy taking care of you that it slipped from my mind!" He grinned and extended his hand, "Antonio Fernandez Carriedo is the name! Born and raised in Spain!"

"Sheez, that name sure is a mouth full..." Lovino ignored his hand and rolled over. "Well Antonio, would you now let me fucking sleep?"

"Sure…in your own bed." _Why that stubborn asshole!_

"I already told you that I'm too tired to get up!"

"And I'm telling you this- this is my house and my bed." He responded irritably. "I'm happy to carry you to your room if you'd like, or if you're up to it I can share the bed. But I must warn you, I am a kicker!"

"Fucking fine!" Lovino shot up and slammed the covers off, his eyes narrowing into his. "All I wanted was to sleep, is that too much to ask? But no, make the guy who fell from the sky, nearly breaking his neck walk into the cold and shit."

"Well, if you put it that way…it makes me feel kind of guilty."

"Well good!" The soles of his feet grazed the carpet as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Trust me, that bed is as good as mine!" Antonio watched the man flip him off. "I'll cook you breakfast tomorrow if that'll make you feel better!"

Lovino paused, his fingers curled around golden knobs. The draft from the hallway made his skin break out into goose bumps. The Italian gritted his teeth and yelled, "Better be fucking good!" Then slammed the door shut, the frame vibrating on impact.

As the sound of his feet faded away, Antonio sighed and fell back onto his bed.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

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_Dove sono_- Where am I?

Thank you for reading and see you next time loves!

~love Maya


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone! It's been some time hasn't it? I want to thank you all very much for the reviews! You're super awesome and I'm glad your enjoying the story so far! At the moment I am having troubles with getting wifi (I moved!) and that plays a part to this very late update. Sorry!

But here is a long chapter for you guys because I love you! Enjoy chapter

"It's always summer in this Southern state  
And it's a comfortable life in a beautiful place  
But something's ratting somewhere inside"

**Benjamin Gibbard- Something's Rattling (Cowpoke)**

Disclaimer: I don't own shit.

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The Distance Between Two Points

3. Daylight

Lovino woke with a Spanish sun fanning over him. The light was warm and inviting, brightening up the room with soft shades of pink caused by Antonio's curtains. It smelled of aged paper and sunshine, in which the Italian loved, and for once in a long time Lovino felt relaxed. He turned under satin sheets, sliding down the blankets to reveal an olive toned shoulder. Sighing blissfully into his pillow, Lovino dawned on the conclusion that Antonio was right- this bed was fantastic, especially the sheets, which felt so soft against his frame.

Peeking up from his pillow, Lovino glanced around the warm room. It was small but spacious, only holding the necessary items such as a bookshelf and a drawer for guests to use and enjoy. Aside from the cream walls and cherry wood floors, the room was very well embellished. A few paintings of plants hung on the walls and a wooden fan spun above him, complementing the homey atmosphere.

He could get used to sleeping here.

Yawning and curling his toes, Lovino arched his back to stretch. He had never woken up on earth before. All the times he'd visit was always during the day when no one could see him (no one could see stars in the day after all) and he usually returned back before sun down. Lovino sat up and leaned back into the headboard, eyes flickering and adjusting to the soft light at the foot of his bed.

"Fuck... I'd forgotten about that." Lovino leaned forward on his knees and scratched his cheek, "Well, this is going to be one hell of a problem."

How the hell was Antonio going to help him if he couldn't see him? Lovino cursed and wished he'd realized his situation last night before agreeing to stay with him, let alone help him find his brother. Despite that, he would have taken the offer anyways. Lovino Vargas was not going to sleep on the street. _Fuck that._ Maybe he could help him during the night or something.

Lovino kicked off the sheets and raised his arms over his head, hearing a satisfying pop coming from his tense muscles. Glancing to his shirt on the floor (actually it was Antonio's) he ignored it and picked up some grey sweats nearby instead. With sweats clinging to his hips he threw an outward glance at the messy bed, and walked out of the guest room.

When he entered into the hallway he was greeted with the mouthwatering scent of food. The sweet tang of tomatoes with earthy basil lingered in the air, along with other spices, making Lovino hum with delight. Lovino swallowed and felt his stomach respond with a growl. He hoped to the heavens that Antonio could cook. It most definitely smelled like he did, anyways.

Passing a couple more doors in the hall, he found himself slowing down in front of Antonio's room. He frowned at the walnut doors. As much as he appreciated the man's help, he was completely astounded as to why he would allow him to stay in the first place. Was it out of pity? Out of kindness? Lovino curled his lip and peeled away from the door, heading for what he hoped was the way to the stairs. Pity or not, he didn't want it. All he wanted was to find his brother and return home.

After minutes of kicking the stupid Spaniard's walls and turning down corridors (the fucking bastard had a huge ass house!) Lovino found the stairs and stomped down the steps. The drift of food was hitting him with full force now, causing his bare feet to patter faster against the hardwood. Thankful the kitchen wasn't as hard as finding the stairs and Lovino cautiously followed the scent of food.

He was surprised to not see Antonio cooking in front of the stove, but was in fact discarded as he spotted two steaming plates of food on the kitchen island. Walking up to what he concluded was eggs, tomatoes, and a slice of bread, Lovino picked up what he assumed was his, and carried his plate over to a table near ample glass doors. Sitting awkwardly in his chair, he pinched the loose fabric of his sweats as he glanced around the massive room, and suddenly felt incredibly small inside the grand house.

Lovino wondered if Antonio lived alone, and if alone, why he had such a grand place. He turned his head and noticed the tomato garden outside the window. _Maybe he's a really rich farmer?_ At least he knew the man had one good quality about him. Anyone who ate tomatoes or loved them automatically gained his respect. Lovino placed a palm under his chin as he grabbed the fork balanced on his plate, staring at the garden. He wanted to walk through it and maybe even sample some on the vine. He jabbed his fork into his egg and took a bite.

Lovino froze, his mouth slowly processing the food that filled his mouth. Swallowing it, Lovino gazed down at what was possibly the closest thing to beating his brother's cooking (which was fucking impossible because his brother cooked fantastic). He shoveled another mouthful, then another and another. Well, make those two good qualities.

"Fucking showoff," Lovino managed to say with his cheeks puffed with food and then hummed with delight.

Lovino finished the rest of his meal in silence, enjoying it as he stared outside. He loved how vast the blue sky was, how the grass wavered in the breeze, and how the light rays poured through the glass windows. It gave a sense of nostalgia, and made him feel like he was back home in the greatness that was Italy. Suddenly he remembered why he was there again.

Feliciano was somewhere out there.

Lovino frowned. He couldn't help but think maybe his brother had left because of him. He was known to be a foul mouthed and grumpy person, but he really didn't mean anything by it. It was the way he was, the way he acted. Never would he think to actually hurt his brother, to drive him away. They fought together, they cried together, they both had been through hell together and even though half of the time Feliciano ticked him off, he was still his brother. He loved him and would never do something to break their relationship.

Feliciano was his other half, the other side of his coin. Lovino set his fork on his plate and glared at it. "Where are you?"

A door shut in the distance causing Lovino to jolt in surprise. The sound of footsteps echoed from the stairway and Lovino grew anxious. Despite knowing he wasn't going to be seen, it was still awkward seeing Antonio. Kicking his chair out and collecting his things, Lovino made a dash to put his dishes in the sink.

"Lovino I made breakfast!"

Lovino turned around to see the Spaniard walk in, his white shirt smudged with dirt and gloves hanging out of his jean pocket. His eyes landed on him and for a moment, and Lovino thought for a second he was looking at him, but then his eyes flickered away as he whistled and grabbed his plate. Sighing, Lovino leaned against the island, muscles twitching against the cool surface. He watched Antonio eat a few bites of his meal in the awkward atmosphere. His cheeks were really red and he looked as if he had just walked in on a naked person. Lovino stared at him and cocked an eyebrow suspiciously.

Clearing his throat, Antonio placed his fork by his plate and timidly turned his head, "So did you um, enjoy the meal?"

This threw Lovino off. He glanced over his shoulder to see if someone was behind him, but was instead met with the kitchen's mahogany wall. His hazel eyes snapped back onto Antonio's with fear.

"Are you okay...?" Antonio pushed his chair back and walked over to him. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Holy fuck!" Lovino screeched and pressed himself closer to the counter, alarming Antonio. Eyes wide and cheeks burning red, Lovino's mind went bezerk. "You can see me?!"

"What- of course I can!" Antonio's eyes scattered over him with worry, "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

"Shut up!" Lovino snapped, chest heaving with the shock consuming his body. "Just shut the fuck up and let me sort this out."

Antonio placed a hand on his shoulder and squinted his eyes perplexed, "Are you still running a fever?"

Lovino screamed again and slipped out of Antonio's touch, rubbing his arms and cursing a hundred words per second. "You can touch me too!? What the fuck is going on here?" He felt like he was going to hyperventilate.

"Lovino!" Antonio grabbed him by the shoulders and pierced him with a worrisome gaze. Lovino's body froze, and the feeling of someone looking at him during daylight made him extremely uncomfortable.

"You need to calm down!" Antonio said as Lovino cringed away from him. "What's wrong with you, why are you freaking out?"

"First off don't touch me," Lovino shrugged his arms off and glared at him, "Secondly, I'm too freaked out by the fact you can see me!" He took a few challenging steps towards him." What are you? Are you even human? Are you a star like me?"

"A star?" he furrowed his brows, "What are you talking about?"

"Are you being completely serious right now?" His eyes searched through Antonio's for any signs of humor. "You can't possibly be a human and see me!"

Antonio reacted a little perplexed on the last line. "What are you saying? I am a man, I have eyes, I'm not blind and I can see you clear as day."

Lovino groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Fucking! Just sit your ass down and I'll explain what's going on, but you better give me an answer!"

Antonio made a face of discernment. "I'll try...but please tell me. I'm very confused."

Both of them sat down at the table, and as Lovino tried to collect himself, Antonio began to eat his breakfast again. With a deep sigh, Lovino glared down at his hands and began.

"Since you seem dense as fuck, I'll try to make this easy for you to understand." Antonio frowned at the remark but didn't say anything against it. "You obviously know that I'm not human, so cheers to you for understanding that," Lovino sighed.

"I fell from the heavens to stop my brother from finding this guy in Germany."

The sound of Antonio's fork clinked against the floor in awe. "...Are you an angel?"

Lovino scoffed. "Tch, do I look like a fucking angel to you?"

"Well, you certainly don't talk like one."

"Shut up."

Antonio laughed in response. "Anyways, no I'm not an angel, I'm a star. Think of heaven as a city. The stars are the people and the angels are more like policemen. I'm not fond of them, but you gotta stick by their rules."

"So you're saying...when we die we become stars?"

"I guess you can say it like that...yeah." Lovino shrugged.

"Wow, this is unbelievable!" Antonio grinned. "A star being a person, that's unheard of!" Lovino rolled his eyes.

"Ah but wait. How am I able to touch you? That night I carried you inside, aren't you suppose to faze through me or something?"

"Yes and no." Lovino leaned forward, "At night we become visible to humans because, well hello, we're stars. So we can make contact and talk to people. However during the day we become invisible, meaning no one can see, hear, or touch us," he curled his lips and slumped his shoulders as he continued. "But for some fucking reason that doesn't apply to you."

"I'm sorry?" Antonio scratched his cheek.

"It doesn't make sense! No one has ever seen me in broad daylight! Why can you?"

"I don't know, maybe there's something wrong with me?"

Lovino leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "This is just weird."

Antonio got up from his seat with his empty plate in his hands. "Well, I'm glad that I can see you. It'd be hard for me to help you find your brother if I couldn't!" Lovino scowled at him as Antonio made his way to the sink and rinsed both of their plates. "Also, I have another question."

"Shoot."

"You said your brother might be in Germany."

"Yeah, that's where he said he was going. Why?"

"I have a friend who's going back to Germany tomorrow night. If you'd like, I could ask him to keep a lookout for your brother."

Lovino hesitated. "I don't know…what's this guy like?"

"Oh, you'll meet him later today!" Antonio wiped his hands with a nearby dish towel. "His name is Gilbert, and we've been friends since we were thirteen. As for my other friend named Francis, well I've known him a little longer. But, they are equally my best friends."

"You're having people over?"

"More like spending the night. I'm going out with them for drinks."

"Well, I'm keeping that room." Lovino got up and stood in front of the window to look outside. "That bed is amazing and I don't want to get kicked out and end up sleeping on the couch because of your friends."

"No, you'll stay in the room." Antonio smiled and joined him in looking outside the window. "Would you like to go out there?"

At first Lovino wanted to yell a hell yes and dash through the doors like a four year old kid, but corrected himself by frowning and crossing his arms instead, with a "I don't care."

"Well, you might want to put a shirt on before you go outside. It's warm but there's a chilly breeze!"

Lovino's cheeks flared instantly with the realization and embarrassment. Hiding behind his bangs and slouching his shoulders, he tried his best not to punch something and run. His face was hot and his temper grew suddenly when he felt the Spaniard's eyes on him.

"Wow, you're really red."

That does it.

"S-SHUT UP!"

* * *

The breeze held a hint of chilliness, but the sun countered any shivers Lovino had. Now clothed, the Italian wandered aimlessly amongst the green vines with a sense of curiosity, and hazel eyes searched for pokes of red hidden within the leaves. From afar, it looked like there were a lot of tomatoes in Antonio's garden, but now as he walked through it he could only spot a few scattered here and there. Most of the fruits were still a ripe green, with only some beginning to blossom. A large round tomato caught his eye while he wandered, and he couldn't help but pluck it. He rotated the fruit in his palm.

_Well it's heading into fall, so the crops are probably dying down._ He inhaled the earthy scent of the dirty yet sweet tomatoes, his head whirling with the intoxicating aroma. How he loved the scent of the garden. It was like being in Italy again. Everything seemed to be reminding him of home. Maybe he should visit Sorrento or something before returning back with his brother. As he raised the fruit to his mouth, Antonio's voice stopped him from a distance.

"There you are! I thought you ran away!" Antonio beamed a relieved smile, chest heaving and hand cupping his right cheek.

Lovino scoffed at the view, recalling how moments ago his head was met with that asshole's face. "Still alive and kicking huh?"

"It takes a lot more than a headbutt to take this bull down!" Antonio laughed. "Although I will give you a few points for creativity, I don't think I've gotten head-butted before."

"You deserved the ultimate punishment for being an ass." Lovino took a bite from his tomato, the juice trailing down his chin.

"I'm sorry if I offended you. It's just you grew red really fast and it surprised me. Does that happen often?"

"Do you want another headbutt?" Lovino warned.

Antonio put up his arms defensively. "No, it was just a friendly question." Lovino glared at him and took another bite. "So, how do you like my garden?"

Wiping his mouth, Lovino glanced around him.

"I like it. It's well-kept and you seem to be on top of it so that's good. I didn't see any dead crops and the soil is soft," He glanced back to him. "And the tomatoes are kick ass but tomatoes are naturally that way."

"I try my best!" Antonio reached out to a green bud and sighed. "But sadly the season is almost over, so I won't have as much as I did in the summer."

"Be happy that you'll have some. I can't imagine going without a week with these heavenly fruits."

Antonio eyes went to the sky. "Do they have tomatoes in heaven?"

Lovino finished the rest of his tomato and looked sadly at his empty palm. "No, but I wish they did."

Kneeling down, Antonio held the green bud in his hand, estimating the time it would be ready in his head. "Then how can you say you can't go without tomatoes if you don't have any to begin with?"

"Let's just say I know ways of getting what I want."

Antonio met his gaze with a raised brow.

Lovino's lips curved. "I used to come down here when I was younger to get them, but stopped once those rats with wings started harassing me about it. Not that they weren't right to do so, but still you can't separate a man from his favorite food"

"I agree to that." Antonio chuckled and dusted his pants. "Well, in two weeks I'll be getting a fresh batch, but for now let's collect the ones that are ready." With a smile thrown to Lovino, he went to get the baskets placed at the edge of the rows.

Lovino groaned. "Are you telling me I have to actually work?"

Antonio turned to wiggle his fingers teasingly as he walked backwards. "Do it for the tomatoes Lovi! Do it for the tomatoes!"

As he laughed the rest of the way to the baskets Lovino glared at him.

"What the fuck did you just call me?"

"Come on_ Lovi_ the quicker we get to harvest, the faster we can eat them for later!"

Lovino's eye twitched from the emphasized word and screeched, "That's it! Your ass is grass!" Lovino stormed up to the now hysterical Spaniard, trying his best to throw dirt at his back but missing. He gritted his teeth and scooped up another handful of soil. "You think that's funny huh, fucker?"

"I'm sorry," Antonio laughed with a basket under his arm, "but who taught you how to throw? You should really give it some practice, mi amigo!"

His laugh was cut short when he felt something crash behind his back and he yelped in response. Lovino cheered victoriously behind him.

"What do you call that?"

Dropping low to the ground he set down his basket, hiding the motion of his hands as he scooped up some dirt for himself, "Oh I don't know I'd say it was a lucky shot! "Antonio's grin grew wicked as he shot up and chucked the dirt at the unsuspecting Italian.

Lovino growled as he dusted his shirt. "So it's a war you want?" Lovino clawed at the ground to pick up a good amount of soil.

"Then you'll get your fucking war!"

Seeing that the tomatoes weren't going to be harvested after their ongoing procrastination, Antonio left the basket aside and restocked his 'ammo'. Fanning a hand dramatically over his forehead and mimicking a damsel in distress, Antonio teased further. "Oh no! _Lovi_ wants revenge! Whatever shall I do?" Lovino glared at him with fists clenched. To put the icing on the cake, Antonio winked at him.

With his cheeks reddening, eyebrows furrowing, and breath hitching, Antonio knew he did the right thing to set off Lovino's fuse. He always did like to be challenged. Without warning, Lovino chucked the first attack with a vengeful scream. "I'll wipe that smart ass smirk off your face!"

And so the battle was in action!

It wasn't much of a vigorous scene unless you counted Lovino chasing Antonio with dirt and screeching profanities as being 'vigorous'. No matter how hard Lovino tried to hit him, every attack was easily dodged and it was extremely infuriating. Cutting through row by row in the tomato garden, Lovino turned their wild chase down to a game of hide-and-seek. If there was one thing he was great at, it was hiding, and he could use it to his advantage.

Antonio slowed to a stop, wandering alone with a wide grin on his face. It looked like he was winning! With no hits from Lovino he was still ahead of the game. Curving around another row he searched for his pursuer. Turning around and peeking underneath the vines, he still couldn't find him. Standing up from the ground, he called out to him.

"Lovino?"

Silence.

He frowned, worried that maybe he took this game a little too far and ran him off. He was the one that started it, but still he felt guilty if he made him feel bad. "Does this mean I win?"

"YOU FUCKING WISH!"

Yelping Antonio spun around, just in time to get a muddy ball of dirt in his face.

Lovino tried to hold in his laughter as he crawled out of his hiding place but failed, holding onto his stomach as he let it out. "I was aiming for your back but this turned out better than I expected!"

Using his shirt to desperately remove the mud off of his face, Antonio grumbled. "Alright... you got me."

"You bet I fucking got you! You think I would fail? Nope, I'm from almighty Rome!"

"I thought Italians were known to be runners not attackers."

"Well surprise mother fucker." Lovino grinned pridefully.

Rubbing his eyes with a humorous grin, Antonio shook his head. "You have quite the colorful mouth, but not the kind I'd paint pictures with."

Lovino's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

He chuckled. "I stand corrected." Ensuring there was no debris in his eyes, Antonio blinked and turned to Lovino. "Why don't we go inside and get this dirt off now?"

Lovino wrinkled his nose and did his best to dust his stained shirt. "Yeah, I feel like a pig."

Walking side by side, both headed back inside quietly. Antonio looked over his shoulder to Lovino, who looked to be deep in thought. His mouth was set in a firm line, his eyes hazed over for what he was imagining in the distance, and every so often a sigh would slip from his lips. He frowned. Antonio knew he was thinking of his brother and couldn't help but feel more eager to help Lovino find him. He was fairly close to his brother who had moved to Portugal a year ago and misses him now and then, but Lovino's relationship with his brother seemed to go deeper than what he implied. Lovino looked to be a protector, the one who looked after his siblings like a guardian would. That would surely be a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

Antonio lightly bumped his shoulder. "Don't look so glum, we'll find him."

Lovino grumbled. "I don't want your sympathy."

"I know."

Lovino eyed him.

"I'm just saying I'll help you until you see him again."

Lovino shook his head with an unexplainable expression of surprise.

"I do not understand you at all."

"As do I," Opening the glass door for Lovino, he smiled, "But I will as the days go by."

Lovino sighed. "Great…this is going to take days." Stepping inside, Lovino walked through the kitchen heading for the stairs.

"Where's your shower?"

"Two doors from your room on the right." Nodding, Lovino disappeared from the kitchen and climbed the stairs. He stared after him before making his way up also.

He hoped the hot shower would wash the dry dirt off of his cheeks and hands. Hearing a slam of a door, Antonio sighed as he entered his room. He sincerely hoped a good shower would relax Lovino too. It seemed he needed it more than he did. Locking his door and shredding out of his dirty clothes, Antonio stepped into the shower.


End file.
